Thursday, May 27, 2010

Hemp Milk

hemp milk© iStockphoto.com/Thinkstock


Does any one have an opinion on hemp milk?

I did find this information on Planet Green.





The Low Down on Hemp Milk


The Good


First off, hemp milk is obviously dairy-free so if you have a lactose allergy, it's a good choice. Hemp milk is also loaded with vitamins and nutrients. It has omega-3 fatty acids, all 10 essential amino acids, 4 grams of protein, 46 percent RDA of calcium, no cholesterol, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and zinc. For some, hemp is supposedly a bit easier to digest than soy protein because unlike soy, it contains no oligosaccharides, complex sugars that can cause flatulence.

The Not So Good


It's pretty hard to find any complaints about hemp milk in the research that I've done. But according to natural health guru Dr. Weil, you should watch out for any milk substitute that uses carrageenan as a thickening agent as its been known to cause cancer in rats and mice. Additionally, hemp milk may for some, have a taste that you need to get used to, but I for one, am a fan of it.

The Green


Usually, hemp is grown in Canada, where it's legal, so the distance that it travels to get to you truly depends on where you live. Nowadays, there are quite a few brands of hemp milk on the market and some of them are not organic so be careful what you buy. But as I've said in the other milk alternative posts, it's always best to make your own because processing hemp milk in large factories still takes energy. It's also way cheaper. This recipe makes 6 to 7 cups and it will stay fresh for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container. I got this recipe from the Global Healing Center.
Homemade Organic Hemp Milk
1 cup hemp seeds (shelled)
5-6 cups purified water
agave nectar or raw honey to taste
Method
1. Combine the water and the shelled hemp seeds in a blender. Use water to achieve your desired consistency.
2. Turn blender on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. After blending you can sweeten the milk by adding organic agave nectar or raw honey. Blend again to mix sweetener. Strain it through cheese cloth to remove the large seed particles.

2 comments:

  1. I really like Hemp Milk...it tastes a little like egg nog to me. But I think it has sugar, so none until P4...

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  2. I did get some and your right it has a little funny combo mix but it's good. I like it. I actually found one brand that didn't have any sugar in it but I'm not sure what hemp is or the carbs/sugar/starch deal. If Dr. S were around would he say hemp milk and hemp products (without sugar) are P3 safe? Don't smoke it's buddy Mary Jane I know that for sure. Could you imagine the damage one could do when they get to post smoke munchies?! 10 pound gain in one day easy.

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